Health benefits of losing weight are huge

If it’s all about vanity for you, that’s OK, too

Everyone has their motivation for wanting to be healthy and fit. Rob Williams's reasons for maintaining a healthy body weight include his two young sons.

Photograph by: Submitted photo
, The Province

I’ve already heard quite a few success stories about weight loss from readers who are following along with this “Lose 10 pounds in 10 weeks” series. At the same time, I expect there are many of you who are hitting a bit of a plateau that might be affecting your motivation to keep training or diligently monitoring your food intake. This kind of plateau is very common, and not at all unexpected. That’s why this is a great time to highlight some of the most significant benefits of weight loss.

Much of the hype around weight loss (losing that last 10 pounds) is focused on image and appearance.

I’ve seen that vanity is one of the most powerful motivators for shedding body weight.

Most people want to look good. They also want to feel good about how they look. If looking better in a skirt, summer dress or board shorts is enough incentive for someone to make a concentrated effort to lose fat, then this is the angle I’ll leverage to keep them inspired and achieving results.

At the same time, there are many people striving to lose weight because it represents better health.

No matter what your reason for wanting to lose excess weight, it’s helpful to be well informed of just how beneficial losing excess weight can be for your health:

Improve your cardiovascular health

When your body is heavier than it needs to be, it’s more challenging to function on a daily basis. In addition to making it more difficult for your muscles to move around, this extra weight puts more load on your heart and circulatory system, which elevates your blood pressure.

Losing as little as five to 10 pounds of excess body fat can significantly reduce your risk for stroke, lower your blood pressure and improve your cholesterol levels, which directly improves heart health. Fortunately, benefits are seen at any age, and in both men and women. Individuals at a healthy body weight also tend to be more active, which further benefits the cardiovascular system.

Reduce your risk for diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is a disorder that affects the way the body uses digested food for growth and energy. The link between excess body weight and the development of type 2 diabetes is indisputable. By maintaining a healthy body composition you can significantly reduce your chances of developing type 2 diabetes. People already at risk for developing diabetes can improve their blood sugar levels and prevent or delay the onset of diabetes by losing a modest amount of weight through diet and exercise.

Fend off arthritis

Obesity is a major risk factor for the development of osteoarthritis. When you’re carrying extra weight on your body, there is no way to protect your bones and joints from the additional wear and tear. In people with healthy joints, modest reductions in body weight can significantly reduce the chances of developing arthritis. In people already struggling with the condition, weight loss is one of the first and most effective strategies in providing improved function and relief from pain.

Combat cancer

There are many studies that have confirmed that being overweight or obese increases the risk of developing a variety of cancers. Obesity is considered one of the strongest risk factors for bowel cancer, and is closely linked to breast cancer in women after menopause.

Being overweight has been found to double the risk of esophageal cancer and accounts for a quarter of kidney and gallbladder cancers.

The good news is that there is growing research to support the belief that lowering body weight will also lower your risk of developing cancers.

Improve sleep

Carrying excess body fat is related to a condition known as sleep apnea. This condition, characterized by interrupted breathing during sleep, results in a lack of restful sleep and an increase in oxygen desaturation. Its thought that excess levels of body fat results in more fatty tissue in the airways, causing obstruction during sleep.

This apnea creates sleep deprivation and daytime drowsiness, which leads to snacking, overeating and a reduced desire to exercise, all of which contribute to further weight gain. Weight loss of five to 10 per cent of body weight has been shown to improve the symptoms of sleep apnea.

There are many significant health benefits related to losing body fat and maintaining a healthy body weight. Three years ago, as I was approaching 40 years of age, with two young sons, I made a personal choice to carry less body weight for exactly these reasons. My body feels much better for it. Maybe it’s time for you to do the same.

Rob Williams is a kinesiologist and posture specialist in downtown Vancouver. His website is www.williamshealthgroup.com

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